The Press., 1887-01-20
IA COUNTRY TAVERN.
, The following is from sketch entitled
 ts TFdrsol,acl. TRSfla fi,ro,,t,l Conros.ticnt '

aaQ come over It put the C181R0 or decay. f It stood close upon the road, with capa- cious stable near by, a porch with side seats at the front door, piazza leading around to the bar room more frequently entered, blanks here and there missing, 1 the cornices routed eoff, blinds for some windows, half blinds for others, no blinds for the rest, and before it gallows sign with its paint obliterated, so that the form of Gen. Washington or of 8 horse, which ever it may be, could not be traced, swing ing and creaking on it's time worn hinges. The stable, of course, has my first consid- eration. Riding over the grass grown track tothe door, and kicking against it7 to call out some sign of life, squeaking voice responded, and presently emerged an old man, whose clothes and hair were covered with hayseed, for he had been startled from his sleep. Rubbing his eyes with a dazed expression like that of Rip Van Winkle as he wakes upon the stage, inquired :: "Who be you, and what do you want ?''
 'I'want my horse put up for the night, :"
 s.WheFs's your3c cattle P he asked.
 - t'Cattle?'
 Yes, cattle ain't you driving ?"
 Driving cattle No, I came from New York, am going to Boston, and intend to stop here tonight
 'sYou don't tell! Hain't seen the like for more'n forty year. We don't take in almost nobody but drovers now. We'll, ride in. I'll bed your hoss down tand feed him. Want hay and oats both, suppose
 The bigdo was swung wide open, and I rode into an equine banquet-hall, de- serted,ry 4. tss
 <sPfenty of room here, ".I remarked as looked upon the double row of horse stalls, many of which were filled with hay, old harnesses, disjointed wagons, E. farming tools and odds and ends of everything.
 "Plenty of room well, yes, I guess there is now, but there wasn't plenty too much room fifty year ago, mister. Every one of them twenty four hoss stalls had change hosses goin' into and comin' out of em. Oh, Lord, oh Lord, how times has changed How whenthe mail stage, Joe Bmham he always drove 1t, and may be two and sometlmes three extries, rattled up to the door and the passengers tumbled out to the bar-room and got such new rum las you can't get noways now, and then marched into the eatin' room for their din-
 uers, we hostlers used to onharness the
 teams, lead lem smoking into the stable, l harness up the fresh 'uns, and have 'em
 all ready for new start. Joe, he alters
 sisted on my holdin' on to the nigh leader
 till he got up and took the lines. I can ! see him now and hear him holler, Let 'em
 go, boy ]! And away they went, down the
 hill, extries after 'em-Joe, he allers took
 the lead cause he card the mail-all in a cloud of dust. An, them was the times
 times as was times. Damn the railroads
 I say. We'll, yon better go into the house,
 and Miss Dexter'n git you some supper. Suppers almost ready, and I'll be in as soon as I've bedded down your hoss.
 A cheery light was gleaming from the kitchen and bar-room windows as entert
 The latter apartment, on which the black
 painted lettres indicating it's speciality
 were still distinctly legible. I was cor dially welcomed, although the same sur
 prise was manifested that I was not in
 ,harge of drove of cattle on my way to Brighton 'Has boy Andrew taken care l of yonr horse p asked the landlord. q turned him over to an old man in the barn" :" I answered.
 "Oh, we'll he said, tthat's all right :;
 that was boy Andrew. He was 8 boy in the old stage time when my father kept the house, and he has been boy ever since,
 and always will be. Supper will be ready soon. I'm right glad to see you. You're welcome to the best we've got if you'll set down with the family. We don't use the big room any more." And then to show
 tt, he opened door on which 'sDining- room" in faded characters often scrubbed oyer, was still plain enough. That ban- quet hall too, was long since deserted and used now but occasionally for country ball to which sleighing parties come from The long table and the chairs had disap- peared and all the indications of former occupacy were the worn floors, with here and there the pine knots which refused 10 wear down. As I paced up and down the cheerless apartment, sadness again came upon me such as all men must feel in the reflection that sentient beings like our selves with throbbing pulses, animal spir- it's, and thinking brains, once living on Gods beautiful earth were now moulder- ing beneath it's ground, and that we who occupy their places must soon follow them, to be followed turn after turn, in the cease less round of existence and death. God only knows why He made us to live and to die.
 < Then the great bell which had summoned these now departed guests to their meals, called our little company 10 supper in a small room adjoining the kitchen. sAIl we have," said the buxom landlady Sis b0a, Dr0au anu DuLger, milk, Bf1p6S ana Gau- sages we are ten miles from the railroad and from any town, and the butcher comes only once 9 week when he brings the newspaper" .o 49s' 97lo#
 She needed not to make any apology. In company with the family, including the boy Andrew, who entertained me with more "reminiscences, made hearty meal. Soon afterwards the usual tavern loungers made their appearance The landlord was in jovial and generous mood.
 "Gentlemen, said he, twelve got & visitor tonight, and am going to treat. Liquor shan't cost any of you a cent. Gall for gln or cider as much as you want The Whiskey is all out. fs
 The invitation was accepted with alacri- ty. Fetch on yourgin, !" was the general demand. Afterwards we had cider. then gin again, and so the cider and gin alter mated, and if they were not actually mixed in the glasses, it amounted to very much the same thing. could fill this paper with the stories that were told in the inter- vals of the game of thigh low Jack. which we played with pack ofwell worn cards, which had done duty perhaps ever since the ''old stage times. But owing to the circumstances the recollection of the stories is somewhat confusing. ao rI,<,..,,